The Musée National Picasso-Paris Spearheads A Celebration of the Artist's Life

W hile the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso is a timely opportunity to celebrate his work and heritage, it’s also a moment to reflect on certain aspects of his personal life. Many consider Picasso to be the master of Modern Art, a movement he fundamentally shaped. And whilst many believe he is certainly the most famous artist of the 20th century, there are also different views of the artist’s life that examine and question the notion of Picasso as a supreme genius.

That is why this year, the Musée National Picasso-Paris is organising Célébration Picasso 1973-2023, a global initiative that will see the Museum lending over 1,500 works to some forty exhibitions worldwide, in an initiative supported by the President of the French Republic and the King of Spain. The campaign aims to not only celebrate this most iconic of artists, but to explore his life and legacy, in the context of the present day.

Across France in 2023, ten events will be held to explore Picasso’s work and life, as part of Célébration Picasso. These include “Fernande Olivier et Pablo Picasso, dans l’intimité du Bateau-Lavoir” (“Fernande Olivier and Pablo Picasso, in the Seclusion of Le Bateau-Lavoir”) at the Musée de Montmartre; “Picasso et la préhistoire” (“Picasso and Pre-history”) at the Musée de l’Homme; “Pablo Picasso et Gertrude Stein” (“Pablo Picasso and Gertrude Stein”), examining the relationship between painter and writer at the Musée du Luxembourg; and “Picasso. Dessiner à l’infini” (“Picasso. Infinite Drawing”), a broad selection of the artist’s drawings, at the Centre Pompidou.

A key element of the Célébration Picasso programme kicks off on 7 March when the Musée Picasso presents an exhibition of contemporary art, under the guidance of Paul Smith. The British designer will entirely transform the Hôtel Sale by selecting works from the museum’s incredible collection, featuring artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Guillermo Kuitca, Mickalene Thomas and Chéri Samba. Smith, celebrated for a career spanning over four decades at the height of British fashion and style, has chosen these artworks for their specific resonances with Picasso.

Furthermore, in October 2023, the museum will give carte blanche to the contemporary artist Sophie Calle, who will take over the entire building with a fascinating installation dealing with disappearance, the act of observing, the inventory of a work, and further related themes.

To accompany these events, there will be a series of temporary exhibitions and performances across the Museum’s lower levels, the ground floor and a portion of the basement. This series will highlight Picasso’s far-reaching influence, while addressing contemporary concerns. A broad historical sweep will inform the curatorial vision; we shall travel from Picasso’s Cubism in the 1920s Europe to his impact on the Harlem Renaissance. There will also be perspectives from contemporary artists, such as Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Faith Ringgold and Kerry James Marshall. The reflections of contemporary female artists will be a key highlight of the programme in re-assessing Picasso’s work - promoting discourse and discussion.

The programming will also be an opportunity to take stock of current research and understanding of Picasso’s work, particularly at the first major international conference devoted to the artist to be held between 6 - 8 December at UNESCO, Paris. This gathering will assemble a full panel of partners (museum institutions, research centres and researchers) to explore “Picasso au xxi siècle: enjeux historiques et culturels” (“Picasso in the 21st century: Historical and Cultural Issues”). Coming together to debate the artist’s legacy will be art historians, curators and restorers alongside artists, writers and collectors.

Finally, in 2023, the Musée National Picasso-Paris will open a Centre d’études Picasso (Picasso Studies Centre) in the historic, renovated Hôtel de Rohan. The museum’s documentation, library and archives will form the hub of a research centre and digital portal, which together, will make Musée Picasso a unique resource for the general public and academic researchers.

Picasso’s legacy in the present day is the subject of this celebration - we anticipate these events will lay the foundations of tomorrow’s Musée National Picasso-Paris.

Click here for more information on the Musée National Picasso-Paris's programme of events during 2023

Upcoming Auction

Important Picasso Ceramics

21 April 2023 | 2:00 PM BST | London